A senior United States defense official said on Monday that the US military could play a larger role in easing tensions between China and Japan over the Diaoyu Islands.

Kathleen Hicks, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, said stability in the Asia-Pacific region could be achieved if the US military furthers ties with the region's nations.

"We can be a stabilizing force, and we can provide a channel of communication that can help diffuse the situation," she said in response to a question about the Pentagon's role in China and Japan's struggle over the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.